Daily Times

Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Defence, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Tuesday expressed his optimism about the longevity of the rapprochement of KSA-Iran, considering China’s interests in the region and Pakistan’s positive relationships with China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.

“Pakistan should seize this historic opportunity as it was at the centre of this transformative change,” he said. The Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS) organised a seminar titled ‘KSA- Iran Rapprochement and its Implications: Way Forward for Pakistan’ in Islamabad, featuring renowned speakers. The seminar shed light on the political, economic, and security implications of the KSA-Iran rapprochement for the Middle East, Central Asia, West Asia, South Asia, and Pakistan, a news release said.

In his keynote address, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Defence, delivered a compelling speech, highlighting the regional impact of the Saudi-Iranian reconciliation. Other eminent speakers included Prof. Dr Syed Rifaat Hussain, Former Member of the Prime Minister Advisory Committee on Foreign Affairs; Ambassador Riffat Masood, Former Ambassador of Pakistan to Iran; and Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Additional Secretary (Middle East), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Pakistan. The seminar concluded with the remarks of President CASS Air Marshal Farhat Hussain Khan (R), and Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani, Advisor, Foreign Policy at CASS, moderated the proceedings. In his Keynote Address on ‘Iran-Saudi Rapprochement and Pakistan,’ Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed discussed the surprising developments in the Middle East, such as Syria’s return to the Arab League and peace talks in Yemen, which reflected regional initiatives devoid of Western influence. He highlighted the changing realities of the Middle East, including the transformation of Saudi Arabia, the entry of China, and the declining role of the US.

Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani, in his Opening Remarks, underlined the significance of the KSA-Iran rapprochement and its far-reaching implications on political, economic, and security aspects in the Middle East and beyond, especially on the peace process, regional unity, and stability. He said that the longevity of this rapprochement was a crucial concern that necessitated further discussion. Ambassador Jilani underscored the implications of the KSA- Iran rapprochement on political and economic development in Pakistan in terms of regional connectivity. He was of the view that it was important to discuss China’s role in this process in light of United States being a major player in the region as well. Dr Syed Rifaat Hussain, in his address on ‘Iran-Saudi Rapprochement and its Impact on Middle East Politics,’ highlighted several key factors that had led to KSA-Iran reconciliation. He stated that these factors included failure of the dual containment policy, continuous sanctions on Iran, and the rise of pragmatic leadership in Iran and Saudi Arabia.